The Road of Thorns
by Heksa
Summary: The world is changing. The Republic and the Sith empire circle around each other in never-ending cycle of cold war. What does it take to rise over your peers, what sacrifices does one have to make for her goals, can one trust anyone or are the ones who strive for greatness also doomed for solitude ? This is the story of Ephialtes.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue.

Captain Baraga could hear music with words which were unknown to him. The music resembled an strangely familiar tune which he couldn't make sense of. After a few moments he remembered where he had heard music somewhat similar to this one before. That was back home at Bakkah, where he was from. He could remember the similar sounding instruments as well as the general tune even though the language was completely different. As a child he had heard the performance of famous opera The Temptations of Assus Farn with his family. Famous tale of an Jedi knight who eventually fell in love to his padawan and paid the prize. As a small boy, he didn't cared about the performance at all, it was boring and way too long for his taste. Then again, most boys of that age didn't care anything else than playing starfighter pilots, jedi's and heroes of the universe. Still, the memory of that particular night had somehow surfaced just now, while he stared towards the stairs where the music came from.

The command deck of the battlecruiser Invictus was the size of an concert hall. Hall, which was currently used for such purpose. Before the stairs captain Baraga could see the performers, old overweighted blue skinned Twi'lek male wearing a dark red robe, two young red skinned female Togrutas playing odd looking flute like instruments. Baraga could also see one brown skinned human female who was playing an instrument which looked like a combination between a harp and some sort of an horn. All of the females where dressed into well crafted blue robes which had golden stripes running over their surface in odd patterns. He didn't knew their names, nor cared. All what he desired from them was to get rid of them, but that wasn't about to happen, a fact which angered him.

The tempo of the music became chaotic and the singer began to shout out loudly odd words, which made no sense to Baraga. Exertion of the performance could clearly be seen from the skin of the Twi'lek as drops of sweat began to form on it. The alien opera was heard all around the bridge and captain Baraga could see that the crewmembers who observed the different panels, from which the Invictus gave information to them, where transferring information to each other with slight shouts. They were clearly careful as they didn't want nor dared to bother the single person, observing the performance from high above the stairs. A person who sat on a black bench which was more of a throne than a bench. Above the bridge's crew, observing all of its surroundings. There were two grey furred canine beast sitting, one on each side of the bench.

Captain Baraga knew too well, who this person was and because of that he didn't order the performers to be arrested and thrown to the brig from disturbing the peace on the bridge. He didn't dare even to think what would happen if he would do such an act. He quickly began to suppress the anger this performance caused from his mind, while he glanced upwards. As if his anger would have caused a reaction, the person above glanced back briefly. Captain Baraga quickly lowered his gaze, but noticed an brief, predatory smile forming on the lips of the fair skinned, bald female who sat there. After a moment of suppressing his anger, captain Baraga looked up again carefully, trying to observe the mood of his mistress.

He noticed that attention of his mistress had turned towards the performers again, as if he didn't pose anything of interest no longer. Baraga observed his mistress for a brief moment. He noticed that the thin Rattataki female was wearing a black skirt which began from her waist and which was cut so that it would allow her great mobility if needed be. Only the tips of her dark shoes could be seen under her long skirt, her upper body was covered with grey shirt which held itself tightly against her thin form. The fabric of her clothes was exquisite, clearly hand made from the finest materials, with great skill. That much was certain even in Baragas unfashionable mind. The only part of her body which weren't covered with fabric where her hands and her head. Baraga noticed that his mistress was sliding her right hand fingers absent mindedly over the neck of the large canine beast on her right side. The beast seemed to like the attention. The face of his mistress was emotionless while she observed the performance. Her white skin was contrasted by the dark make-up which she had on her lips and around her eyes.

She looked young as she would be between 20 to 25 human years. He knew this to be deceiving. The young, innocent looking Rattataki girl he looked at was at least over 120 years old. That much he knew for sure from the rumors which began to spread around the ship after her arrival. The very same day he and his command crew got a transfer orders to the Invictus. The same orders which subjucated them under her command. Under the command of a Dark Lord Ephialtes. Dark Lady, not a Dark Lord, Baraga reminded himself. It was made clear to him to address her with that title by his superiors as a personal request from the Dark Lady. He didn't felt like trying out what would happen if he would forget this. So far the Dark Lady had been polite, even friendly towards him the few times they have exchanged words, but he knew the reputation of the Dark Lords and didn't wait eagerly for the day when they would see the inevitable reasons for that reputation.

He knew that the Dark Lady had gained the command on the Invictus by killing it's previous ruler Dark Lord Frastis in a duel. He wasn't there to witness the duel, but the aftermath of it could still be seen on the bridge. Buckled armor plates, blackened sections of walls and the floor, crushed statues, neat burn marks around the walls and the doorway. The most disturbing evidence was broken lightsaber which lie on the fourth step. While other repairs had began, it had laid there as long as Baraga had been aboard and no-one seemed eager to go and move it away.

Captain Baraga allowed himself to glance his mistress one final time, before turning away. He noticed that Dark Lady wasn't looking at the performance no longer. She seemed to turn round, damaged metal necklace on her left fingers and she looked towards it with an conflicted look on her face. The look staid on her face only mere moments, before it was replaced with that pleasant look she wore most of the time.

He turned his back to the cacophony of alien words and music and began to walk towards his first officer. After all, he had a journey to plan ahead from Korriban and what a journey it would be.


	2. Chapter 2

Journey

Ephialtes observed the performance from her seat. The Twi'Lek and the others were trying their best to entertain her with the opera Shanun Le'Ferdia, but she still felt herself growing more absent from it. A sight which made the performers sharing nervous glances with each other. Ephialtes mind began to wander before it quickly found a hotspot on the bridge. Pure sensation of anger, which got her attention immediately. She looked towards the source and found it to be the Invictus captain Baraga. This made her smile as her little test was showing out results before she had anticipated.

Now she knew that the captain was clearly an impatient man, who had troubles accepting situations which weren't a part of military hierarchy. The performing artists on the bridge for example. This made Ephialtes smile even wider. She had all of this information for her use with so little time. So many ways to use the captain's weaknesses opened up before her now. Her smile was interpreted by the captain in a different way as she could feel the sensation of fear bursting out from him. This entertained Ephialtes more than the performance did currently. As the sensation of anger and fear surpassed from the captain, she turned her attention away from him. This was just a first test she had in mind for the crew and their captain, a test which was still underway. Her attention went into the performance once more while her right hand went over the neck of one of her pets.

Fenria felt her mistresses fingers over her the fur of her neck. This made the great canine beast let out a low pleased whine. The beast revealed her large maw filled with sharp glistening teeth, a sight which clearly made the performing artists nervous. Seeing the affection of his mistress going towards Fenria made the other beast, Sigurd growl as he grew jealous. Sigurd snapped his mighty jaws towards Fenria, which in turn made the other beast growl back in return.

Ephialtes was shortly aware of the beasts hatred towards each other, but she didn't gave it attention. After all their hatred was just pure emotion of beasts, not one which would come from an sentient being. One that could be analyzed and used against them. A thought awakened in her mind about the relationship between a master and a apprentice from the behavior of her pets. One would be always jealous and spiteful towards the other. This was often the case between the Sith force-users. Often but not always.

Her attention grew towards the damaged old amulet which she wore around her neck. Her left hand had taken a hold of it without her noticing this until now. The amulet was round, it had a hole in the middle and it was engraved in the shape of an wheel which had sections between different parts of it. In every section, but a few there where markings. Some which she could have deciphered, some which were still a mystery for her. The material from which it was made was unknown to her, but it looked like bronze, even though she was sure that it wasn't made from it. It was old, ancient disc which had the markings of time and countless of wearers over it. Now she wore it. It was incomplete still, even though it was ancient. It's use was still mostly a mystery for her. She knew that it was more than a necklace, but the information revealed itself very slowly to her. Still, that wasn't important just now. Currently it had awakened memories from her past. Memories she didn't allowed to surface. Now they were pouring out once more.

This made her vexed, but she didn't show it much. Appearance after all was everything. Her former master's teachings made sure of that. After a brief moment, it became clear that she couldn't concentrate on the performance, she decided to continue the experiment some other time. Ephialtes lift her right hand from the neck of Fenria and signaled the performance to stop. It did with such haste that the last few notes felt alone as they faded from the bridge. Twi'Lek male looked towards her with an uncertain look on his face and she could feel the anxiety in him as well as the others. She savored the sensation briefly, before talking.

"I do not need you no longer, leave the bridge and await for further instructions in your cabins. Thank you for your performance, it was exquisite" Ephialtes said with an sweet, polite tone and a smile. The singer seemed relieved and took a bow, which the others followed. "Thank you mistress, we try our best to entertain you and your quests in the future". The Twi'Lek said, before they took their leave. It was clear from the faces of the crew that they weren't expecting to be mentioned as quests in this matter. A detail which Ephialtes took in for further use in the future. She closed her eyes for a moment, before opening them again. She put the pleasant little smile on her lips and appeared friendly and polite once more, before rising up. She took the glass of wine from the little hand crafted table next to her bench into her right hand and began to slowly walk down the stairs. "Fenria, Sigurd, heel" Ephialtes whispered and the great beasts obeyed, still eyeing each other from the previous encounter. She could hear their claws hitting the stairs, while she tasted the wine.

It was not the best she had ever tasted, but it would serve its purpose here, after all it was pointless to let it air so long if it would be standing on the table for three hours straight before it was enjoyed. It took three hours for captain Baraga and a part of his crew to began show anger and frustration because of the performance. Three hours before the unexpected situation on the bridge began to hinder their own effectiveness. Three hours in which time she knew that the crew on the bridge could be efficient no matter what happened around them. This was another detail Ephialtes storaged in her memory. She glanced at the broken lightsabe on the fourth floor before walking past it. The sight of it, almost awakened her fury, but she forced it down again. No reason to show the crew her reaction towards the object, she thought.

She sipped her wine again instead and concentrated to its flavor. while walking towards the view screen into space. The crewmembers gave her quick somewhat worried glances as they weren't been under her command more than a few days. They haven't grown into her customs yet, nor did not knew her. This all would change with time, but first-appearances where crucial so she took her time with them. Her masters teachings lived in her after all.

Ephialtes could hear captain Baraga giving orders considering the voyage and chose not to interfere. The captain knew what he was doing and Ephialtes didn't felt like giving orders about matters that she knew her subservient to be better than herself. "Use your subordinates experience to your advantage, not against yourself. No-one, not even I cannot be a master of it all. There are always sentients who know their field of expertise better than you ever could " She could hear her masters distant voice from another memory, while she stopped before the view screen. Ephialtes could see Korriban from its orbit. It's not long now before we leave, she thought. She continued to sip her wine, while the preparations where made behind her. 


	3. Chapter 3

The Delims

As she looked towards the planet Korriban below trough the view screens, the suppressed memories came back once again. This time, she let them come as it was clear that the test she made had to wait for a better moment to be done again. Ephialtes moved her left hand behind the right ear of Sigurd, making the great beast whine quietly. This time it was Fenria who was jealous and let out a growl. Ephialtes ignored the beast, took a sip of wine and let her mind wander in her memories.

The air was hot as it always was during this time and place on Rattatak. Gust of dust flew over her, making her cough a bit. She knew that mother would complain once again about her dirty appereance but she didn't mind. After all, she enjoyed helping her father and brother on the farm, the best she could. Granted she wasn't strong, nor big but she could do many little chores which would have slowed down the males with their own chores. So she cleaned the stables the best she could, carried out old hay, shoveled dung away and gave the Delims fresh water.

It was hard work still for a girl of her age, but she didn't mind much, as she enjoyed being near the Delims. Being great near equine beasts of burden as well as riding animals, staying near them made her belief that she could ride one someday soon, perhaps even own one of her own. That was her dream, the greatest thing she could ever want in the whole wide world. She didn't knew that their family was barely getting along, nor she couldn't dream of more clothes or toys than she already had. She never have had more than one pair of clothes, a ragged and dirty dress which belonged to her sister once and a toy her father had made for her, which crudely resembled a Delim. Her father wasn't much of a carpenter, but when she had it as her naming day gift, she was overjoyed.

Now she had something else to play with, other than her brother and sister, who where both a bit older than her. Not as much that they would have moved away yet, but old enough that they neither had the time nor common plays. So the Delim toy gave her solace in her lonely hours. It gave her motivation to dream of a Delim of her own, a Delim she would use to ride around the world.

Her daydreaming was cut off sharply as she heard the sound of her mother behind her. "Young lady, just look how dirty you have become" her mother said. "It's not proper for a girl of your age to be here on your own, what if one of those beast would stomp you against the ground and made you mush?" she continued with a worry on her tone. "What went through your fathers mind when he allowed you to come here alone?" she said, not really to her child, but more to herself. "Mother, Delims would never hurt me, the are my friends!" She protested against her mother. "Don't you take that tone with me" her mother said with a vexed voice. "You are coming back inside to do housework and help to make food for your father and brother" her mother continued. "But mom!.." She protested. "No buts! Come with me silly girl, I have to finish the meal and you are going to help me with the vegetables" her mother said with a tone which gave no options to complain. "Mom, I'll come soon, let me just finis..." she tried to say before she was interrupted again. "Felian, do not argue with me. I'm your mother and I know better, now hurry up" her mother said with a tone which clearly told that the conversation was done. Felian lowered her head with disappointment, took her toy Delim and began to follow her mother.

Felian could hear the sounds of Delims behind her and turned to watch them again. She couldn't understand why she couldn't be there with them. She was already 12 and knew enough about life. Clearly Felians mother thought otherwise, as she could feel her hand on her shoulder. "Felian...come now you silly girl. If you help me with the housework, I promise to let you go to the Delims later with your brother watching over you" Felians mother said, with more caring voice. Felian lift her left hand, took her mother's hand on her own and squeezed the toy Delim against her chest with her free hand. Together they walked towards the modest hut made of clay, sticks and straw, while the gust of wind began to grow stronger. 


End file.
